In the last Lesson we looked at an overview of the 7 major periods of Jesus life. In this chapter we will begin by outlining the information dealing with the period of His youth.

Please use the reading guide at the end of lesson one to cover the text.

1. Introduction

Luke 1:1-4; John 1:1-18

• Luke’s gospel is the only one that implies that it was written as a letter and so the introduction explains the reason for the letter.
• Luke’s gospel is the most historical in nature and contains the most details (119 of the total 154 events are described in Luke).
• John’s prologue (In the beginning was the Word…) announced the theme of his gospel.
• This is different from Luke in that it isn’t a letter, different from the others in that Matthew and Mark begin by telling the story from the very beginning of their books.

John’s first 18 verses summarize the life and purpose of Christ and defines His nature and source from the very outset of the book – then in verse 19 he goes on to tell the story beginning with John’s preaching. This may be an indication that John purpose in writing his account differs from the other biographers. It appears to me that John set out to prove certain essential truths about Christ and his ministry.

2. The Genealogies

Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38

Before any action or personalities are introduced, the genealogy of Jesus is given in order to establish several things:

His place within the Jewish community –

• You were a Jew because you belonged to the nation
• Your place in the nation was confirmed and maintained in the records of the families and their descendants.
• This was culturally of great importance to the Jews.

His direct relationship to David –

• The prophets told that the Messiah would be a descendant of David from the tribe of Judah.
• Anyone claiming to be the Messiah would have to be within this lineage.

Matthew’s genealogy describes Jesus’ royal genealogy tracing it from Abraham to David to Joseph.

• Matthew records it for legal purposes.
• He is writing to prove to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah, and the Jews’ custom in keeping records is to trace descent through the father.
• Legally, the Jews of Jesus’ day looked on Jesus as a son of Joseph (John 6:42).
• Also, Joseph’s lineage is given to emphasize the fact that Jesus had been born of a virgin. Because of a curse that God placed on one of Joseph’s ancestors, Jesus could never sit upon the throne of David if Joseph had been His natural father.

 

An interesting Twist:

Jechonias (Matthew 1:11-12), called Coniah in Jeremiah 22:24-30, was so evil God cursed him and his descendants, saying, “Write this man down as childless, . . . for none of his descendants shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling anymore in Judah” (verse 30).

• Jeconiah, as his name is spelled in the Old Testament, had children (I Chronicles 3:17),
• He was childless in the since that none of his descendants ruled as king over Judah.

How, then, could Jesus be a descendant of David and qualify to sit on the throne? Let’s take a look at the genealogy in Luke 3.

Luke’s genealogy appears to be Mary’s.

According to Jewish usage, Mary’s ancestry is given in her husband’s name.

• The original Greek merely says Joseph was “of Heli” or Eli (verse 23).
• In fact, since Joseph’s father is said to be Jacob in Matthew 1:16,
• Heli is most probably Mary’s father. Joseph, then, is his son-in-law.

 

Interestingly unlike Joseph’s lineage, there was no block in Mary’s genealogy to Jesus sitting on the throne of David.

• Mary’s descent from David comes through his son Nathan, not Solomon or one of David’s other children (Luke 3:31).
• To fulfill His promise to establish David’s throne forever, God honored Nathan by making him the ancestor of the promised King who would sit on David’s throne throughout eternity (Luke 1:31-33).

But how could Mary transmit David’s royal inheritance— the right to the throne—to her Son, since all inheritances had to pass through the male line?

• According to Israel’s law, when a daughter is the only heir, she can inherit her father’s possessions and rights if she marries within her own tribe (Numbers 27:1-8; 36:6-8).
• There is no record that Mary had any brothers to inherit her father’s possessions and rights.
• Thus, Joseph became Heli’s heir by marriage to Mary, inheriting the right to rule on David’s throne, even over Judah.
• This right then passed on to Jesus.

 

Both genealogies had to be recorded to establish Christ’s right to rule on David’s throne.

Joseph’s genealogy shows that Christ was a legal descendant of Jeconiah and thus legally could not sit on the throne of David in the nation Judah by inheriting the right solely through Joseph.

• Thus, the genealogies prove the importance of the virgin birth:
• The curse on Jeconiah’s line would have passed on to Christ if He were Joseph’s natural son, but He was not—
• He was the Son of God the Father, begotten by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was Mary’s son descended from Nathan. Jesus can inherit rule over Judah because of Mary’s marriage to Joseph, whose genealogy shows he was Heli’s son-in-law.

3. Announcement of John’s birth

Luke 1:5-25

A priest named Zacharias married to a woman named Elizabeth who is the cousin of Mary of Nazareth.

• He is chosen by lot (once in a lifetime privilege) to burn incense on the altar in the court of the priests just in front of the holy of Holies (where only the High Priest was allowed to enter once per year).
• While doing this an angel appears to tell him that his wife will have a son (she had been barren and now past child bearing).
• He doubted and was struck dumb (Couldn’t speak) until the child was born.

 

Apart from Jesus, John the Baptist is probably the most theologically significant figure in the Gospels.

• As was the case with Jesus, his birth was meticulously recorded ( Luke 1:5-25 ).
• His entrance into the world was marked by angelic proclamation and divine intervention ( Luke 1:57-80 ).
• John’s birth not only parallels that of Jesus, but echoes the momentous occasion of the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah Gen 17:15-22 ; 21:1-7
• John is clearly a pivotal figure in the salvation history of God.

4. Birth of Jesus announced

Luke 1:26-38

Six months after John’s birth is announced, Jesus’ birth is announced, but this time to the woman who would bear the child, Mary of Nazareth.

• The angel tells her that unlike John who would be great in the sight of the Lord, a perpetual Nazarite (no meat or alcohol), a servant of God, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Mary’s son would be conceived by supernatural means and He would be the long awaited Messiah.
• Both would have missions: one would prepare the way for the other; one would announce and introduce and the other would fulfill all said about Him in prophecy.

 

5. Mary visits Elizabeth

Luke 1:39-56

In the last three months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy and during the first three months of her own, Mary visits her elderly cousin and assists in her in the final months of child bearing. (I can only Image how difficult that might have been!)

When they meet, Mary pronounces a beautiful poem, called the “Magnificat” by scholars.

• In the poem she praises God for His goodness to her (the honor of being the mother of the Messiah),
• His kindness to all who fear Him,
• His help to those who are oppressed (sending the Messiah),
• Her peace and joy at her condition.

The entire poem is taken from various passages in the Old Testament showing Mary’s knowledge of the Word.

6. John the Baptist’s birth

Luke 1:57-80

John is born soon after Mary’s departure and his name is given as John (a surprise because no one in Zacharias’ family has this name).

• Zacharias demands the name (given by an angel) through a note and receives back his speech.
• When he does he begins praising God (he too with references from the Old Testament).

 

7. The angel appears to Joseph

Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew tells the story from Joseph’s perspective, Luke from Mary’s.

They were betrothed meaning that the dowry was set, the commitment to marry was done, the house was chosen – all that was left was the wedding feast (usually 1 year after betrothal) and moving into the home.

Before the wedding feast and consummation, Mary becomes pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

 

Some doubt this and deny it using several arguments:

• They say that this part was added later by unknown, uninspired writers.
• They claim that virgin birth was not held by the early church because epistles don’t write about it.
• Impossible naturally (they don’t believe in the supernatural).

The answer to this is that both Matthew and Luke mention quite specifically the fact that Mary conceived in a miraculous fashion – just like they both mention that Jesus resurrected in a miraculous fashion. One is not more difficult for God than the other.

• The virgin birth is implied in the Old Testament as early as Genesis 3:15, which promised that “the seed of woman” would be the victor over Satan and sin.
• It is expressly predicted in Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” .
• According to Matthew 1:22-23, this prophecy was fulfilled in Mary.
• She is called a “virgin” in Luke 1:27. The Greek term parthenos normally referred to an unmarried woman of marriageable age. Mary did not conceive through ordinary means, but through the Holy Spirit.1

Joseph is also told by an angel that Mary has conceived by the power of God, he will name the child Jesus (Greek form of Hebrew name Joshua which means “the Lord is salvation”), and his son will be the Messiah.

Like Mary, Joseph believed the angel and followed through in obedience.

• She accepted to be pregnant and had the baby.
• He accepted her pregnancy and prepared to be the father by providing her his name and a home to live in.

Matthew 1:25 says that he “kept” her a virgin until she had a son. This means that after she had Jesus he no longer kept her a virgin and this explains the sons and daughters spoken of in other passages (at least 4 brothers and 2 sisters – Mark 6:3).

8. Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:1-7

It is interesting to note that the world places so much importance on the birth of Jesus, but only one writer describes it.

• Jesus was conceived while Mary was betrothed to Joseph (legally married but not yet living together).
• He was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, according to prophecy (Micah 5:2).
• The actual giving of names in long distance prophecy is very rare, but Micah actually gives the name of the city where the Messiah will be born.
• The reason, historically, was that there was a census and you had to go to your native city to be counted.
• Joseph was of the house of David and probably owned a small plot of land there so he had to be there for the counting.

 

9. Angels announce His birth

Luke 2:8-20

Historians tell us that shepherds had their flocks out grazing between March and November, so the time of Jesus’ birth is somewhere in this period.

The fact that shepherds are the first to know is unusual:

• They were poor and unimportant,
• They were not part of religious establishment
• They were symbolic of the type of Messiah Jesus was
• They were representative of the nation of Israel.

The shepherds represent those who come and worship the new Messiah from His people.

10. Circumcision of Jesus

Luke 2:21-38

Being devout Jews, Mary and Joseph have Jesus circumcised.

• This was eight days after His birth.

A month later, they returned (33 days) for a purification rite (could offer 2 turtledoves if too poor to offer a lamb, which is what they did).

• It was at this time that Simeon and Anna, two elderly prophet and prophetess who spoke concerning Jesus’ future and confirmed that this child was truly the Messiah.
• This was done to confirm and encourage Joseph and Mary who as far as we know were the only ones to hear this prophecy.

 

11. Visit of the Magi

Matthew 2:1-12

Tradition shows the Magi showing up at the manger on the heels of the shepherds – this is incorrect.

• Matthew 2:16 says that Herod killed children two and under according to how old the child was based on the information given him by the Magi.

Putting the verses together we get this possible order of events:

• They leave Nazareth to go to Bethlehem
• Jesus is born there
• They go to Jerusalem 8 days later for circumcision
• They may return to Nazareth to pack up
• They go to Jerusalem for Purification (1 month)
• They settle in Bethlehem because since it is the city of David, city of the Messiah, they may believe this is where they should raise Jesus.
  

 

After a year or so the Magi arrive looking for the Messiah according to the star they had seen.

• Matthew 2:11 says that they came to a house in Bethlehem where Joseph and Mary had settled.
• They didn’t come to a manger as the pictures and traditions indicate.
• Jesus has been announced to the Jews (through the shepherds) and the Gentiles (through the Magi).
• Magi were astrologers and counselors to the king in Babylon.

 

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When the Medes and Persians conquered Babylon, they established a hereditary priesthood of wise men, which was known as magicians or magi. Just as Daniel had been made the ruler over all the wise men of Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, when Medo Persia’s King Darius the Great reigned, he appointed Daniel to be master of the magicians.

Daniel 4:9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.

It is thought to have been Daniel the Prophet who first introduced the Magi to the Holy Scriptures of the God of Israel.

• And, it’s believed that throughout the centuries these wise men studied the Hebrew Scriptures;
• Therefore they understood the timing of the Messiah’s birth and the sign that would lead them to the place where He would be born.

What exactly did they know? The Bible doesn’t explicitly tell us, but we can find some reasoning in the Scriptures that provides some answers.

The prophecy that was given, by the angel Gabriel to Daniel, then went on to announce when the beginning of these seventy weeks would occur. This set a clear time frame for future events.

Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Daniel 9:25-26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself…

Israel understood “week” to mean seven. Just as we would say three dozen equals 36 (dozen meaning 12), or seven decades equals 70 years (decade meaning 10), so also the Jews understood “seventy weeks” to mean “seventy sevens,” or 70 x 7, which equals 490. That 490 is the number of years until the Messiah would come and accomplish the following:

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, (1) to finish the transgression, and (2) to make an end of sins, and (3) to make reconciliation for iniquity, and (4) to bring in everlasting righteousness, and (5) to seal up the vision and (6) prophecy, and (7) to anoint the most Holy.”

The 70 sevens began with the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem that was issued by Artaxerxes Longimanus in 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:5).

With that starting date, the “seven weeks and threescore and two weeks” equals 69 weeks, which the angel Gabriel prophesied about and which takes us to the date of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday.

 

12. Flight into Egypt

Matthew 2:13-15

Jesus’ life and movements were dictated by the prophets’ words concerning Him.

Hosea 11:1 speaks of the Nation of Israel and their experience in Egypt when he says “out of Egypt I will call my son.”

• Matthew takes this passage and applies it to Jesus as He is embodying the Jewish nation’s experience in His own lifetime as He also is forced to live in Egypt for a time.
• Joseph is warned that Herod will try to destroy the Messiah and told to flee to Egypt.
• They could have fled to any town, but in order for Scripture to be fulfilled they had to go to Egypt.

The gospel writers recognized Old Testament scriptures inpiration and recorded it.

• Their move to Egypt was probably financed by the gold and precious ointments brought by the Magi.
• Mary and Joseph were poor and God provided for their needs.

13. Herod’s murder of innocents

Matthew 2:16-18

Soon after their escape Herod tried to eliminate a seeming threat to his throne (he didn’t understand) by killing all males under 2.

• This was Jesus’ maximum age according to the Magi’s account.

 

Herod wasn’t just troubled. He felt threatened.

• He had been named, by Rome, to be king of the Jews and he was sent to rule in Jerusalem and have authority over the Jewish people.
• Another to come would have threatened his rule.

It is evidenced that Herod took the claim seriously by his actions. He called upon the chief priests and scribes and demanded that they tell him where Christ would be born (Matthew 2:4). Interestingly, this reveals that Herod expected the Jewish Scriptures could answer his question — probably because he knew of prophecies of the Jews that had already been fulfilled. The priests and scribes gave Herod the answer:

Matthew 2:5-6 …In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Herod died in 4 BC so this is why we say that Jesus was born between 7-4 BC. Probably a year old when He was taken to Egypt, stayed there about a year and when Herod died in 4 BC Joseph and Mary return then.

14. Return to Nazareth

Matthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:39-40

Joseph and Mary had originally settled in Bethlehem so they try to return there after hiding out in Egypt. God informs him that Herod is dead and he can return to Israel. When he realizes that Herod’s son is reigning in the area where he wants to return (Bethlehem), he is told to go back to his original home – Nazareth.

Nazareth was in a region further from Herod’s headquarters and not one where people expected the Messiah to come from.

• It was the city that the prophets said the Messiah would emerge from but not be born in – Matthew 2:23. and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
• This was a subtle difference that only revelation could provide.

15. Twelve year old Jesus in Jerusalem

Luke 2:41-52

Jews were required to go to the Temple for all the feasts, but by the 1^stcentury this had dropped to one per year – the feast of the Passover.

• Jewish boys reached accountability at thirteen (a son of the commandment).
• Many boys went to the temple at even earlier ages as was the case with Jesus.
• The Rabbis would often find large crowds to teach at these times.
• His parents lose sight of Jesus and find Him in one such group discussing the Law, asking and answering questions of them.

 

His reply to his mother when they found Him, “Did you not know that I had to be in my Father’s house” shows that He was already, at 12, aware of His divine nature and mission.

• These are His first recorded words.

After this event there is silence concerning Jesus’ early life until the beginning of His ministry at 30. All we know is that he remained with His parents in Nazareth and served as a dutiful son until His public ministry began.

Lessons from the Childhood of Christ:

His parents.

1. They were true believers.

Their faith cost them something and yet they continued to believe. There is no faith without risk – if it’s a sure thing then there is no faith.

2. They believed despite their lack of understanding.

They continued to believe even though the events were unfolding around them. We believe based on a complete story. They didn’t know the end but trusted the Lord day by day. Some things in our life are like that, we need to trust and obey even though things aren’t fully worked out yet.

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READING ASSIGNMENT FOR CHAPTER 3

1. Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:28
2. Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23
3. Matthew 4:11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13
4. John 1:15-34
5. John 1:35-42
6. John 1:43-51
7. John 2:1-12

 

Let’s talk this over. Follow this link to answer one of two thought questions on the forum.

Dont forget to take the chapter two review quiz,